Formation of a Financial Life Story

Abstract

A method implemented on an electronic computing device for creating a financial story for an individual includes receiving information regarding finances for the individual, obtaining information comprising biographical information for the individual and obtaining information regarding future goals for the individual. The received and obtained information is used to create the financial story for the individual. The financial story includes a timeline that shows past and future life and financial events for the individual. At least some of the future life and financial events for the individual on the timeline are automatically generated using heuristics.

1 . A method implemented on an electronic computing device for creating a financial story for an individual, the method comprising:
 on the electronic computing device, receiving first information regarding finances for the individual;   obtaining second information comprising biographical information for the individual;   obtaining third information regarding future goals for the individual;   using the first information, the second information and the third information to create the financial story for the individual, the financial story comprising a first timeline that shows past and future life and financial events for the individual, including a first main branch showing the first timeline with past and future life and financial events;   creating a first separate branch of the first timeline to show an impact to the first timeline of a first possible future life or financial event, the first separate branch of the first timeline showing how a first date for an existing timeline event is impacted by the first possible future life or financial event;   receiving a second timeline, the second timeline having a second main branch and a second separate branch of the second timeline to show an impact to the second timeline of a second possible future life or financial event, the separate second branch of the second timeline showing how a second date for an existing timeline event is impacted by the second possible future life or financial event, wherein the second possible future life or financial event is different than the first possible future life or financial event; and   combining the first main branch comprising the first separate branch, and the second main branch comprising the second separate branch to create a merged timeline, wherein the merged timeline shows whether dates of the first separate branch are combinable with dates of the second separate branch;   wherein, on the merged timeline, automatically moving a date of the second possible future life or financial event on the merged timeline when the date of the second possible future life or financial event is incompatible with a date of the future life and financial events of the first timeline;   wherein at least some first possible future life and financial events for the individual on the first timeline are automatically generated using heuristics, the heuristics identifying life and financial events at timeline points for people of a similar background to the individual;   wherein at least some of the first possible future life and financial events for the individual are selected from a toolbar and dragged to the first timeline on a user interface by the individual; and   wherein the first timeline includes at least some identified life and financial events at the timeline points based on the heuristics.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more aspects of obtaining the first information, the second information, the third information, and creating the first timeline are automated. 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first timeline, the second timeline, and the merged timeline is interactive. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising permitting the individual to manually adjust events on the first timeline and to manually add events. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising automatically making adjustments to existing events on the first timeline based on the manually adjusted events and manually added events. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the adjustments include one or more of removing one or more existing events from the first timeline or changing a time that an existing event is projected to occur. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically making adjustments to the first timeline based on an impact of one or more future decisions. 
     
     
         10 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a specific point on the first timeline; and   calculating a financial status of the individual at the specific point on the first timeline.   
     
     
         13 . An electronic computing device comprising:
 a processing unit; and   system memory, the system memory including instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the electronic computing device to:
 obtain first information regarding finances for an individual; 
 obtain second information comprising biographical information for the individual; 
 obtain third information regarding future goals for the individual; 
 obtain fourth information regarding financial transactions and life events for one or more additional individuals similar to the individual; and 
 use the first information, the second information, the third information and the fourth information to create an interactive first timeline for the individual, the interactive first timeline showing past and future life and financial events for the individual, the interactive first timeline for the individual including:
 a main branch showing the interactive first timeline with the past and future life and financial events; and 
 a first separate branch showing how a date for the interactive first timeline is impacted by a first possible future life or financial event for the individual, 
 
 obtain a second timeline, the second timeline having the main branch and a second separate branch showing how the date for the interactive second timeline is impacted by a second possible future life or financial event for the individual, wherein the second possible future life or financial event is different than the first possible future life or financial event; 
 combine the main branch comprising the first separate branch, and the second timeline comprising the second separate branch to create a merged timeline, wherein the merged timeline shows whether dates of the first separate branch are combinable with dates of the second separate branch; 
 wherein, on the merged timeline, automatically move a date of the second possible future life or financial events on the merged timeline when the date of the second possible future life or financial event is incompatible with a date of the future life and financial event of the first timeline; 
 wherein at least some of the future life and financial events for the individual on the first timeline are automatically generated using heuristics, the heuristics identifying life and financial events at timeline points for people of a similar background to the individual, and wherein at least some of the future life and financial events for the individual are selected from a toolbar and dragged to the first timeline on a user interface by the individual; and 
 wherein the first timeline includes at least some identified life and financial events at the timeline points based on the heuristics. 
   
     
     
         14 . The electronic computing device of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving one or more first adjustments to the first timeline, the one or more first adjustments to the first timeline comprising at least one additional event or an adjustment of a first existing event. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic computing device of  claim 14 , further comprising automatically making one or more second adjustments to at least one second existing event on the first timeline as a result of the one or more first adjustments to the first timeline. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The electronic computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the first separate branch of the first timeline can display how current decisions can impact the at least some of the future life and financial events for the individual. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The electronic computing device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a specific point on the first timeline; and   calculating a financial status of the individual at the specific point on the first timeline.   
     
     
         20 . An electronic computing device comprising:
 a processing unit; and   system memory, the system memory including instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the electronic computing device to:
 obtain first information regarding finances for an individual; 
 obtain second information comprising biographical information for the individual; 
 obtain third information regarding future goals for the individual; 
 obtain fourth information regarding financial transactions and life events for one or more additional individuals similar to the individual; 
 use the first information, the second information, the third information and the fourth information to create and display on a user interface, an interactive first timeline for the individual, the interactive first timeline showing first past and future life and financial events for the individual, the interactive first timeline for the individual including:
 a main branch showing the interactive first timeline with the first past and future life and financial events; and 
 a separate first branch showing how a date for the interactive first timeline is impacted by a first possible future life or financial event for the individual; 
 
 receive a first request to add a first additional event to the interactive first timeline; 
 as a result of the first request:
 add the first additional event to the interactive first timeline; and 
 adjust a time of one or more existing events based on the first additional event; 
 
 receive, at the user interface, a second request to adjust a position of an existing event on the interactive first timeline; and 
 as a result of the second request:
 adjust the position of the existing event on the interactive first timeline; and 
 adjust the time of one or more existing events based on an adjustment of the position of the existing event, 
 
 obtain a second timeline, the second timeline having the main branch and a second separate branch showing how a date for the interactive second timeline is impacted by a second possible future life or financial event for the individual, wherein the second possible future life or financial event is different than the first possible future life or financial event; 
 combine the main branch comprising the first separate branch, and the second timeline comprising the second separate branch to create a merged timeline, wherein the merged timeline shows whether the dates of the first separate branch are combinable with the dates of the second separate branch; 
 wherein, on the merged timeline, automatically move a date of the second possible future life or financial event on the merged timeline when the date of the second possible future life or financial event is incompatible with a date of the future life and financial event of the first timeline; 
 wherein, at least some of the first possible future life and financial events are based on heuristics, the heuristics identifying life events at timeline points for one or more of the additional individuals similar to the individual; and 
 wherein the interactive first timeline includes at least some of the life events at the timeline points based on the heuristics.